Operation Spirit The Evacuation from the South Coast of France

Operation Spirit, South of France and Gibraltar. When the Germans invaded France in June 1940 the British expatriates living on the Riviera expected 'a cruiser' to evacuate them in the style that they felt was their due; in the event they had to embark on two 'overcrowded filthy ships' that had recently discharged their coal cargoes in Toulon. One of these ships had 'only two lavatories.'

Several vessels picked up at more than one port and then sailed independently from France, arriving at Gibraltar between 26 and 30 June. One woman, who remained behind, said that her friends had written that they had to suffer these conditions all the way to Liverpool.i On the 1 June 1940 the Orient Line passenger vessel Orford had been off Toulon, when it was bombed and set on fire. The vessel was abandoned and fourteen of her crew were killed.
It was known that British, Czech and Polish forces and civilians were making their way south. A British Expeditionary Force party reached Marseilles by train on 18 June, they were evacuated on the cargo ship Finland, which sailed with the cargo ships Alma Dawson, Coultarn and Toussika, all were probably carrying British troops or civilians.

The destroyer HMS Keppel left Port Vendres for Sète to organise the evacuation of Czech and Polish troops, arriving at 0740/23. HMS Velox was sent to Port Vendres from Gibraltar, arriving at 0600/23. During the afternoon of 24 June, the British steamers Oakcrest, Britannic and Lord Cochrane reached Sète. They were also involved in the evacuation of Port Vendres, as were the British ships Apapa, Coultarn, Gartbrattan, Viceroy of India, Northmoor, Neuralia and the Egyptian steamers Mohamed ali el Kebir and Rod el Farag. HMS Keppel left Sète with the Mohamed ali el Kebir and joined the destroyer Velox which had sailed from Port Vendres at 0300/26 with the Apapa. The ships travelled in company to Gibraltar, where they arrived on 26 June.

Ashcrest and Saltersgate had discharged their coal cargoes in Toulon and, after two days when their crews did their best to clean the ships, boarded a total of 1,300 refugees, mostly civilians. From Cannes they sailed first to Marseilles, where the refugees were forbidden to land, then were instructed to join a French convoy bound for Oran. Other evacuees, including some Poles, went to Oran in French ships. The author W. Somerset Maugham was on the Saltersgate with 500 others.ii He wrote about the voyage in these small tramp steamers. Some of his recollections, written soon after the event, are comic, while others are tragic. He says ‘One lady, when she came aboard, told an officer that of course she wanted to go first class, and another called the steward and asked him to show her where the games deck was. “It’s all over the ship, madam,” he replied’.

The Ashcrest, with about 800 on board developed engine trouble and put back. This meant that she was able to load extra food, but it also meant that she made the rest of the trip unescorted. When they were attacked by an Italian submarine, the sole gunner returned fire and the ship made a smoke screen enabling her to escape.iii Those aboard thought that the ship was on fire, though, ‘everyone remained calm.’ On Saltersgate ‘four people went out of their minds’ and at least two died. After five days at sea they were told that they would be landed in Oran, to await instructions from Gibraltar. On the day of arrival conditions were worsening, most were in high spirits, but bad news was to come. France had capitulated and the (French colonial) authorities expected to receive instructions to detain the ship and those on board. After heated, but fruitless, discussions between the Master and the Nice vice-consul, and the shore authorities, the Master managed to contact Gibraltar by radio. The instructions were to obtain as much food as possible and sail for Gibraltar. As it was a Sunday many of the shops were shut. The Master and the ship’s chandler went round in a taxi buying 500lbs of bread, as much fruit as they could get, plus the all important cigarettes and matches. They again set sail, arriving in Gibraltar on Tuesday morning. ‘This time we thought our troubles were really over.’ But they were again told that they would not be allowed to land, at this news many broke down.

After much discussion the children, the sick and elderly were taken off, and transferred to the troopers and passenger ships. The remaining 280 were allowed ashore in batches to do shopping, and, in many cases, bathe. The ships then set off in convoy, arriving in Liverpool after an eleven day voyage. Somerset Maugham wrote: I should not like to end this part of my narrative without paying a tribute to the crew who worked like dogs to make our lot tolerable, to the officers who gave up their cabins to the old and the sick, and, to the skipper, Captain Stubbs, to whose courage, skill and firmness we owed it that we were brought safely home. When talking about the optimism of the British seamen he says of those on the Saltersgate: The crew were rough Glasgow boys, and their faces were as black with coal dust as their grimy clothes…. They were friendly and willing and they bubbled over with high spirits. Ever since the war began they had been sailing the dangerous seas, and did they care for Jerry’s bombs and Jerry’s torpedoes? Not they.

A group of Czech civilians had also travelled south where they hoped to board a ship. They included a young woman called Marianne Adler,iv who had arrived in Sète. The Czech military prevented them from boarding as they were “neither dependants of soldiers, nor embassy employees.” The French took pity on them and left them a camion to sleep in. The following morning the Master of the British cargo ship heard of their plight and took them aboard (Northmoor?). ‘He declared that his orders were to pick up refugees, army or no army, and so we entered the ship….Being considered by the Czech burocrats (sic) as the 'illegals' getting the worst sleeping places and being the last ones in the queues for food.’ v The Czechoslovak War Cross 1939 -1945 was awarded to the following MN personnelvi: Lancelot Hill, Chief Officer Mohamed ali el Kebir; the Master lost his life before the award was made. Francis Nesbit, Master Northmoor "showed great zeal and energy" rescuing 1,563 from Sète. Herbert Wilson, Master Gibel Dersa. Edward Davies, Master Apapa. Thomas Muckle, Master Rod el Frarag. i Mattie Tribe typescript: An evacuation from France, Hoover Institution Archives. ii iii Maugham wrote of his experiences in Strictly Personal – published by William Heinemann in 1941. News of this attack was given to the Cabinet iv http://webspace.webring.com/people/fc/czechandslovakthings/WW2_aguide.htm . v Ibi